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Wisconsin-Superior
Yellowjackets
Kaiti Graham
Scott Thomson

Women's Hockey David Nelson

Yellowjackets thrash Green Knights in game one

Kaiti Graham
Box Score

Yellowjackets 5, St. Norbert College 2
Box Score

SUPERIOR, Wis. -- The Yellowjackets came out slow in the first game of the 2012 O'Brien Cup playoffs, failing to produce any shots within the first eight minutes of the first period.  It wasn't much different on St. Norbert end, as they only came up with a single shot during the opening five minutes. 

A boarding call on St. Norbert's Kelley Ritchie gave the Yellowjackets some offensive rhythm, as Dani Schultz (Morris, Minn./Morris Area) shot a one-timer that was saved by St. Norbert goaltender Katie Aluia to give the Yellowjackets their first shot of the game.  Schultz added to that moments later, getting out of traffic and pounding home a loose puck to the left of the goal at 13:03 of the first period to give the Yellowjackets a 1-0 lead.  The power play tally was Schultz's 22nd on the season.  Just 1:09 later, Kiara DeKezel took a long shot from outside the blue line that knuckled and got past Aluia to make the score 2-0 Yellowjackets.  Moments later Ashlee Olson (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) retrieved the puck at the blue line thanks to a St. Norbert turnover and skated up the right side and beat Aluia high on the stick side to make the score 3-0 Yellowjackets. 

St. Norbert called a timeout after the Yellowjackets scored three goals in a span of 2:56, and that spelled the end of the night for Aluia, who was replaced by Kaley Gibson.  Despite being down by three goals, St. Norbert managed to outshoot the Yellowjackets 8-4 in the first period. 
 
The opening stages of the second period resembled the first in that the Green Knights were carrying the play and the Yellowjackets weren't able to generate anything offensively.  When a tripping call on Ashley Birdsall (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East) gave the Green Knights a power play, the Green Knights needed just six seconds to narrow the Yellowjacket lead to 3-1. 

The Yellowjackets regained a three-goal lead when Schultz put a shot home at 14:26 of the second period to make the score 4-1 Yellowjackets.  St. Norbert answered that goal 22 seconds later when Tara Frey found the back of the net to make the score 4-2.  The Yellowjackets would close out the second period scoring at 17:02 when Kaiti Graham (Middleville, Mich./Thornapple Kellogg) let a shot go between the circles that beat Gibson high to make the score 5-2.  The Yellowjackets outshot the Green Knights 11-9 in the second period. 
 
The third period didn't have the offense that the first two did, but it wasn't because both teams didn't have opportunities.  The harder the offenses pressed, the tighter the defenses got.  Time ticked off rapidly as there was no scoring in the final period, and only two penalties were called.  Each team went 0-1 on the power play and each team had six shots on goal.
 
Shanley Peters (Gnadenthal, Manitoba/Garden Valley Collegiate) stopped 21 shots for the Yellowjackets while St. Norbert goaltenders Katie Aluia and Kaley Gibson combined for 16 saves.
 
The Yellowjackets (16-7-3) will go for the quarterfinal sweep against the Green Knights tomorrow (Feb.25) at Wessman Arena.  The puck drops at 2:00 p.m.  The game can be viewed live via webcast at www.ifan.tv.
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